Sorting apparatus



Jan. 25, 1966 R. F. HOHMAN 3,231,095

SORTING APPARATUS Filed July 17, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Jan. 25, 1966 R F. HOHMAN 3,231,095

SORTING APPARATUS Jan. 25, 1966 R. F. HOHMAN SORTING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 1'7, 1964 POCKET 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 17, 1964 HER NEE Ev Jan. 25, 1966 R. F. HOHMAN SORTING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 17, 1964 x .N JTIK Q? 21 MW 3%. km Q Wm w 9? @m w 60 QQNNRW Risk mm W I H, M Ewan United States Patent O F 3,231,095 SORTING APPARATUS Robert F. Hohrnan, 155 Cabot St., Beverly, Mass. Filed July 17, 19164, Ser. No. 383,380 15 Claims. (43!. 211-) This invention relates to sorting apparatus for sequencing and filing classified letters, bills and other documents and articles systematically, and particularly to automated apparatus for indexing and opening the files in which large numbers of documents are to be stored by an operator.

Typically such apparatus comprises a carriage supporting a series of inclined dividers forming pockets in which the documents are stored. To open a particular pocket the dividers and stored documents in advance of the selected pocket are swung upwardly through an angle. To bring the selected pocket to a convenient location, the operator starts a motor for driving the carriage, stopping it at the convenient location.

While apparatus such as shown in my United States Patent 'No. 3,092,255 greatly facilitates the storing of documents, there is a need for sorting apparatus which has a greater storage capacity with quicker access to selected pockets and which requires less of the operators attention leaving more time for examination and classification of thedocuments" It is an object of the present invention to provide sorting apparatus which can receive a greater weight of articles and yet which quickly presents and opens a selected pocket despite the weight of the stored articles.

It is a further object to afford automatic selection on opening of a chosen pocket in a short cycle which gives the operator time to examine and classify succeeding documents.

According to the invention sorting apparatus for receiving classified articles comprises a carriage, a series of inclined dividers having their lower ends pivoted on said carriage to form a plurality of pockets, said dividers having downwardly facing abutments at their upper ends, an elongate lifter adapted to engage said abutments, means for moving said carriage to bring a selected group of said abutments .over said litter, and means to raise said lifter thereby to swingsaid Selected group of dividers upwardly away from the remaining dividers to a raised position thereby opening a pocket between the raised and remaining pockets.

Further according to the invention the sorting apparatus comprises a movable carriage, a series of pocket forming means on said carriage, motor means for moving the carriage to present a selected pocket at an operators position, an indexing selector for choosing one of the pockets, .a start switch, a control circuit connected to and responsive to said selector and start switch including relay means causing said opening means to move from a pocket opening position to a retracted position, switch means operated by movement of said opening means to retracted position, said switch means causing the motor means to move the selected pocket to the operators position, and said control circuit including switching means movable by said carriage motor means relative to said indexing selector and operable by the selector to stop said motor means and cause said opening means to open the selected pocket when the carriage reaches said selected position.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of automatic sorting apparatus for receiving documents;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 22 of FIG. 1;

'FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the sorting apparatus automatic control circuit;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the control circuit;

516. 8 is a diagram of the control circuit power supply; an

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the cycle of operation of the components of the control circuit.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the sorting apparatus comprises an operators desk 20 adjacent a housing 21 for a series of pocket forming dividers 22 supported on a movable carriage 23 riding on tracks 24. The carriage 23 is driven in and out of the housing 21 through a linkage 26 to a chain 27 carried on sprocket wheels 28 and driven by a motor M1 (see FIG. 6). At the operator-s desk 2i? is a selector dial 31 having, for example, one hundred positions corresponding to one hundred pockets numbered from 00 to 99 formed by the dividers 22. By rotation of this dial to a particular number the operator selects a particular pocket to be moved by the carriage adjacent her position and automatically opened to receive a document she has classified. The number of the selected pocket-is shown on' an indicator dial 32 displayed through a window 3t? in a cabinet 33 on the desk. Also mounted on the cabinet are a power switch S9 and power-on indicator lamp L. At the right side of the desk is a start switch S3 for initiating the operating cycle which presents and opens the selected pocket.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the carriage 23 comprises bottom plates 37 from which extend side walls 38 joined by an end wall 39. The carriage is mounted on the tracks 24 by roller assemblies 41 secured to the bottom plate 3'7 of the carriage. On each bottom plate are mounting members 42 extending lengthwise of the carriage. At each side the mounting members have inner and outer longitudinal side Walls 43 with a series of pivot holes 44 for receiving the ends of wires of divider frames 45. Each divider frame comprises a plastic block dfi having upper and lower horizontal channels 47 and 48. Anchored in the upper channel 47 is a first heavy wire element 49 extending across the upper volume of the carriage, thence downwardly inside theside walls 38 of the carriare, and turning inwardly at their ends 51 and entering the pivot holes 44 of the mounting member outer end walls 43. A second wire element 52 anchored in the lower channel 48 of the block 46 extends downwardly to two outwardly turned ends 52 which enter the pivot holes 44 of the inner mounting member side walls 43. Welded to the first and second wire elements 49 and 51 are cross wires 53. Typically one hundred and one divider frames are used on a sixty inch carrrage.

Two parallel series of pockets are formed between the divider frames 45, by two lengths 54 of flexible sheet material such as woven or vinyl sheet. As shown most clearly in FIG. 5, each sheet is :looped overthe :horizontal part of the first wire element '49, loosely under the cross wire 53, thence over the next element, and so on. Snap fitted over the sheet and first wire element ofeach frame is a spring metal channel 56 which anchors the sheet on the frame and protects ,the .sheet. Adjacent vertical lengths of the sheet form a ,pocket P closed at the bottom by the loop under the cross wire 53 and opened at the top by swinging apart adjacent divider frames as shown in FIG. 5.

Prior to opening a selected pocket all thedividers will be inclined at the angle of the three dividers 22 at the right of FIG. 5. To open a selected pocket all the dividers in advance, i.e., to the left, of the selected pocket are swung upwardly by a lifter bar 61. The lifter bar Patented data. 25, 19,66

61 is pivoted at 65 by arms 62 and 63 between rails 64. The middle arm 63 extends below the rail to a nut 66 on a Worm 67 driven by a reversible motor M2. The lifter bar is driven between an upper positionshown in solid lines and a lower position shown in phantom with a transaltory movement which maintains the upper surface of the bar horizontal in all positions.

When, as will be more fully explained, the carriage 23 moves the dividers over the lifter bar until the selected pocket is over the right end of the bar, then upward movement of the bar will bring it into engagement with the bottom surfaces of the divider blocks 46 in advance, i.e., to the left of the selected pocket. Further upward movement of the bar will swing the advance dividers toward but not to vertical position thus opening the selected pocket between the advance dividers and remaining dividers.

The pivots 65 for the bar 61 are in the same horizontal plane as the pivot holes 44 for the dividers 22, but the radius of the bottom surface of the divider blocks 46 is greater than the radius of the surface of the lifter bar would be if the bar. swung on a fixed radius. To insure that the bar surface and the block bottoms follow the same curve, the bar pivot arms 62 and 63 are not connected to the bar by fixed pivot pins, but rather as shown in FIG. 3. The upper end of each arm 62 and 63 carries a pin 68 which slides vertically in slots 69 in the sidewalls of the lifter bar 61. Lower on each arm 62 is a second pin 71 which engages cam grooves 72 in the lower sides of the lifter arm. For an arm with a radius of approximately six inches from the rail pivot 65 to the pin 63, the cam groove has a face 73 spaced about one-half inch from the center of the slot 69 and inclined at 50 to the horizontal. The opposite wall, which is not used, may be at the same angle and the connecting curve may been a one-half inch radius. The effective face 73 is engaged by the lower pin 71 to give vertical support for the bar 61. With the bar down, as the middle arm 63 rotated counterclockwise by the motor M2 the upper pins 68 move the bar to the left while the lower pins 71 lift the bar. As the bar swings upwardly the lower pins 71 ride upwardly on the cam face 73 and the upper pins 68 slide upwardly in the slots 69. Consequently the top of the bar does not swing on the radius of the upper pins 68 but on a longer radius which coincides with the bottom of the divider plates 46. This eliminates any slippage between the lifter bar and the divider blocks and prevents the right block from slipping off the bar as it is raised.

Another problem encountered when the dividers are swung upward stems from a geometrically unavoidable change in the spacing at their lower ends." In FIG. the divider pivots 51 are, for example, one-half inch apart. However, owing to their inclination, the three right dividers 46 are spaced, center to center, on a dimension s perpendicular to the dividers only threeeighths inch apart. As the dividers are raised nearly to vertical this spacing changes to one-half inch at the pivots, while the spacing at the top of the dividers depends only on the width of the divider structure. If this width were allowed to remain three-eighths inch as the dividers were raised the left-most dividers would be moved not by the lifter bar but by dividers to their right and a slack would develop which disturbed the angular relations between the dividers and lifter bar causing the lifter bar to lose contact with the blocks at its near vertical position; Then when-the bar was subsequently lower the left-most dividers would not swing back to the normal right inclination. Since the opening of a selected pocket requires that the left end of the lifter bar be rather precisely located under the dividerblock 4.6, as shown by the position in solid lines of the bar 61 in FIG. 5, such left inclination would prevent opening of a selected pocket.

To resolve this spacing problem the divider blocks 46 are provided with a wedge portion 45 at their upper ends. The wedge portion widens or flares upwardly from the three-eighths inch thickness of the main body of the block to a one-half inch thickness at the very top of the block. This widening corresponds to the change in spacing from the left, inclined dividersto the right, nearly vertical dividers, and the widening'occurs over the radial distance which the blocks slide relative to each other as they are raised from inclined to nearly vertical position. This radial. distance is seen in FIG. 5 in the stepped position of the top faces of the right-hand three divider blocks 46 as compared with the nearly flush relation of the top faces of the three left-hand divider blocks. The action of the wedge port-ions 45 is to force adjacent divider blocks apart one-eighth of an inch and maintain parallel spacing of the dividers from their pivots Site the top divider block face as they aremovcd between inclined and nearly vertical position.

To insure that the lifter bar is in precise relation to open a selected pocket, it is necessary to move the carriage 23 and its dividersto a precise location with respect to" the right end of the lifter bar. This is accomplished by' the automatic control'circuit shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 in the cycle shown in FIG. 10.. 7

As shown in FIG. 6 the selector dial 31 at the operators desk is rotatively linked to an indicator dial 32 and five'switch cams C1 to C5 inclusive. The position of the indicator dial with respect to the fixed window 30 represents the position of theselector dial 31 and the number of the pocket selected. Since each operating cycle ends with the opening of a selected pocket the selector dial is shown by way of example with the number 10 in the window 30, indicating that pocket number 10 is open. The indicator dial 32 is at an angle A with respect to its zero position, that is, with the number 00 in the window 30. Each of the cams C1 to C5 operates a corresponding switch S1 to S5. However, only cam C4 is in the sarne angular relation A to its fixed switch S4. The relation between cams C1, C2, C3 and C5 and their corresponding switches-S1, S2, S3 and S5 may be varied from the relation shown'in FIG. 6 because the switches are mounted on a switch plate 70 as'indicated by the broken line 71. The cams 01, C2, C3 and C5 are rotated by the selector dial 31, whereas the switches S1; S2, S3 and S5 are rotated around the corresponding cams? by the switch plate which in turn is rotated by a linkage 72 with the carriage drive motor M1. However, at the end of each operating cycle these four cams and switches are in the relative relation shown in FIG. 6.

Briefly, the actions of the operator are to examine a particular document during a previous cycle, classify the document as destined for oneof the pockets ()0 to 99, and when the previous cycle has ended, adjust the selector dial until the selected pocket is indicated in the window 39, then close the start key S8.v The sorting machine will. then bring the selected pocket to her and open it in a fraction of a minute during which she can classify the next document. She then deposits the particular document in the open pocket and selects the pocket for the next document.

The SPEED cam C1 has two widely spaced rises 81 either of which causes cam C1 to close its switch S1 if it is rotated by the selector dial 31' through a substantial angle /2 B either right (clockwise) or left (counterclockwise). Closing of the switch S1 causes a SPEED relay circuit 3 to select a high voltage tobe applied to the carriage drive motor M1. The high voltage will drive the motor at 'high speed until the selected pocket approaches the operator. Then the SPEED cam C1 will open its switch S1 and cause the speed circuit 3 to apply a low voltage (;+35) to the carriage drive motor which then completes its approach-to selected position at low speed.

The RIGHT cam C2, the LEFT cam C3 and the O.C.. (OVERCENTER) cam C4 determine the direction. in

which the carriage motor M1 will drive the carriage, that is either right or left. The RIGHT and LEFT cams C2 and C3 have closely spaced rises forming notches 82 and 83 respectively. Typically the rises occupy an angle of 36 and are fixed on the selector dial shaft 71 oppositely displaced from the vertical by an angle C of approximately 1 such that if the selector dial is rotated right (CW) the RIGHT switch S2 will be closed before the LEFT switch S3. Or if the selector dial is rotated left (CCW) the LEFT switch S3 will be closed first. The switches S2 and S3 are interlocked through a conventional LOCKOUT circuit 6 which disconnects the second closed switch before it is closed thus insuring that only the first closed switch is effective. Closing one of the RIGHT or LEFT switches S2 or S3 conditions an interacting OVERCENTER relay circuit 5 and L-R (LEFT- RIGHT) relay circuit 2, which are also subject to the closing of the OVER-CENTER switch S4.

The 0.0. cam C4 has a trip 84 which momentarily closes the QC. switch S4 when the selector dial is rotated through 00. For example, if the selector dial at the end of a cycle is in the 10 position, as shown, with the carriage resting nearly completely to the right (see FIG. 2) it may be desired to open the pocket 90 at the right end of the carriage. Instead of turning the selector dial left (CCW) to 90, the operator may turn it a relatively small angle rig-ht (CW) through to 90. The RIGHT switch S2 would then tend to signal the carriage to move right when it should move left. However, the closing of the QC. causes the OVERCENTER circuit 5 to reverse the effect of the RIGHTswitch'SZ- and condition the L-R circuit for causing the carriage motor M1 to drive the carriage left.

The ON-OFF cam C5 has a notch 85 which actuates an ON-OFF switch whenever the selector dial 31 is rotated. It will be remembered that at the end of each cycle the switch plate 70 has returned the switches S1, S2, S3 and S5 to the end-cycle position relative to the cams C1, C2, C3 and C5, as shown in FIG. 6, regardless of the position of the selector dial. At the beginning of a subsequent cycle rotation of the selector dial energizes an ENABLE relay circuit 13 which interconnects a start-cycle key S8 and an ON-OFF latching relay circuit 1. When the key S8 is closed a pulse of current is applied from a PULSE STORAGE network RC through the enable circuit to the ON-OFF circuit. The ON-OFF circuit then disables an UP relay circuit 11 and energizes a DOWN relay circuit 10. The DOWN relay circuit immediately supplies power to the lifterbar motor M2 causing it to lower the bar to a down position out of engagement with the dividers 2 2. As it leaves the raised position shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, the lifter bar closes an UP limit switch Sh. In the down position the lifter transfers a DOWN limit switch S7 breaking the supply of power to the lifter motor M2 and supplying power to a carriage DRIVE START circuit 4. This circuit renders the L-R, OVERCENTER and SPEED circuits effective to supply either 110 volt or 35 volt power to the carriage drive motor M1.

The drive motor M1 then moves the carriage 23 to the left, for example, and also indexes the switch plate 70 such that the switches S1, S2, S3 and S5 are returned to the end cycle relation with their respective cams as shown in FIG. 6.

If the SPEED cam C1 has been rotated by the selector dial more than the angle /2 B, the motor M1 is first driven at high speed with 100 volt power, then as the cam C1 and switch S1 approach end-cycle position the switch is opened at one of the rises 81 causing the SPEED relay circuit to supply 35 volt power for a slow drive for the remainder of the carriage travel.

When the switches and cams reach end-cycle relation the ON-OFF switch S5 is transferred from the ON position to the RESET position shown in FIG. 6. This transfer completes a reset circuit to the ON-OFF and OVERCENTER circuits 1 and S returning them to end cycle condition. The ON-OFF relay thereby disables the LR circuit 2 discontinuing power to the carriage drive motor M1. The ON-OFF relay also completes a circuit through the now closed UP limit switch S6 to an UP relay circuit 11 supplying power to the lifter motor M2 in a way to cause it to raise the lifter bar 61. The DOWN switch is transferred to the end-cycle position shown in FIG. 6, and when the lifter has opened the pocket selected by movement of the carriage the UP limit switch is opened by the bar ending the complete cycle of machine operation.

A more detailed illustration of the above-described circuits is shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9.

FIG. 8 comprises the power supply for the control circuit of FIG. 7. A two contactor relay K14- is energized from an alternating current source by closing a power switch S9. Closing of the relay connects the source to a rectifier 14 which provides +110 and +35 volt DC. power. i The power-on lamp L indicates operation of the power supply circuit.

In FIG. 7 the SPEED circuit comprises a conventional two-contactor relay K3 energized by the SPEED switch S1. One contactor 3a connects either the +110 volt or +35 volt, a contactor 1a of an ON-OFF latching relay KLI and either contactor 2a or 21) of a LEFT-RIGHT latching relay KLZ to the drive motor Ml. A conventional, DRIVE-START relay K4 has a contactor 4a which completes the circuit through the motor M1. When, at the end of a carrier drive cycle, the ON-OFF relay KLI is reset by cam switch S5, a contactor 1!) shorts the motor providing abrupt, dynamic braking. In the ON condition of relay KLl its contactor 1d energizes a DOWN relay K10 which causes the motor M2 to lower the lifter 61. When the lifter reaches down position the DOWN limit switch S7 energizes the carriages drive relay K4 starting the carriage motor as described above.

Cam switches S2 and S3 are interlocked through conventional relays K6 and K7. If switch S2 closes first, contactor 7a of K7 is transferred removing +110 volt power from switch S3. Or if switch S3 closes first, conmotor 611 of relay K6 removes power from switch S2. Whichever relay is energized, one of the contactors 6a or 7a will supply +110 volt power through contactor 5a or 5b of an OVERCENTER latching relay KLS tn the L (Left) or R (Right) coil of the LEFT-RIGHT relay KL2.

Conventional relays K8 and K9 enable the QC. switch S4 to energize either the normal position coil (NORM.) or the overcenter (O.C.) coil of the OVERCENTER relay KLS depending on s whether relay KL5 is in the overcenter position or the normal position shown. The interconnections of the contactors 8a, 8b and 8c of relay K8, contactors 9a, 9b and 9c of relay K9, and contactors fir: and 5d of relay KLS, as shown provide this alternate action of switch S4.

When the carriage reaches selected position and the ON-OFF relay KLl is reset by switch S5, the contactor 1c is returned to the position shown in FIG. 7 completing a power circuit through a slow closing relay KTD12 and the UP limit switch S6, now closed by absence of the lifter bar 61 from its up position. After a short time delay, a fraction of a second, insuring that the carriage has come to rest, the contactor 12a of relay KTDlZ energizes an UP relay K11 whose contactor 11a completes a power circuit from the +110 volt supply through LIFT- MOTOR M2, in a sense to cause the motor to raise the lifter 61. When the lifter is raised and the UP switch S6 opened relays KTDlZ and K11 are released and contactor 11a shorts the motor providing dynamic braking.

The operating cycle of the circuit in FIG. 7 is graphed in FIG. 9 and is summarized as follows.

At the start of each cycle, time t0, the operator selects pocket for a previously classfied document and begins to rotate the selector dial, let us assume, right (CW) 7 from position 10 as shown in FIG. 6 to selected position 90. At time t1 the ON-OFF cam switch is transferred to ON. At time t2 the RIGHT switch S2 is closed causing relay K7 to lock out the LEFT switch S3 and. latching relay KL2 in the R (right) position by supplying; +110 volt power through contactors 7a and 5b. At

.time 13 the LEFT cam switch S3 closes with no effect.

At time t4 the SPEED cam switch S1 closes transferring contactor 3a of the SPEED relay K3 to the high speed Contact connected to +110 volt power. At time t5 the selector dial 31 passes through and the CC. cam switch S4 is closed momentarily energizing relay K8 through contactor 8c and 9a. Contactor 8a then supplies +110 volt power to the QC. coil of latching relay KLS transferring its contacts to O.C. position. Power is then supplied from contactor 7a through now transferred contactor a to the L (left) coil of LR relay KL2, thus relatching the relay in L position, and setting up the connections for driving the carriage left. At time :6 the selector dial is set in position 90 and after an operator delay the START key S8 is closed at time t7.

At time t7 the O-N-OFF relay K'Ll is latched in ON position, the DOWN relay K is energized starting the motor M2 to lower the lifter and thus closing the UP switch S6 without effect. The lifter then moves down until time t8 when it transfers the DOWN switch S7 from the position shown in FIG. 6. This deenergizes the DOWN relay K10 dynamically braking the motor M2 and also supplies +110 volt power to the DRIVE START relay K4 whose contactor 4a completes the left drive power circuit to the motor M1 starting high speed drive of the carriage. At time t9 the carriage motor and switch plate 76 have returned the SPEED cam C1 to one of the rises 81 and the SPEED relay is deenergized reducing the power to volts and slowing the carriage as it approaches selected position. At times tltl and til the LEFT and RIGHT cam switches S3 and S2 are opened without effect except to deenergize relay K7. At time 112' the ON-OFF cam switch S5 is transferred from ON position resetting the ON-OFF latching relay KL2 in OFF position and dynamically braking the carriage drive motor M1. Also at this time the OVER- CENTER relay KLS is reset, the ENABLE relay K13 is deenergized and the time delay relay KTD12 is energized.

After a short time delay the relay KTD12 closes energizing the UP relay K11 and the motor M2 raises the lifter until, at time :14 it opens the UP limit switch S6, deenergizing K11 and dynamically braking the motor M2. The cycle then ends with the selected pocket 90 open at the operators position and the operator inserts the previously classified document in the open pocket.

I claim:

1. Sorting apparatus for receiving classified articles comprising a carriage, 'a series of inclined dividers having their lower ends pivoted on said carriage to form a plurality of pockets, said dividers having downwardly facing abutments at their upper ends, an elongate lifter adapted to engage said abutments, means for moving said carriage to bring a selected group of said abutments over'said lifter, and means to raise said lifter thereby to swing said selected group of dividers upwardly away from the remaining dividers to a raised position thereby opening a pocket between the raised and remaining pockets.

2. Sorting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lifter has a plane, upper surface for engaging said divider abutments when the lifter is raised.

3. Sorting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said lifter comprises a horizontal bar extending under one or more of said dividers to a leading edge, said carriage moving means bringing the last abutment of said selected group of abutments over said leading edge. 4. Sort-ing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said inclined dividers extend above a clearance space re ceiving said horizontal bar.

S. Sorting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lifter has an upper plane surface for engaging said abutments and is movably supported by cam means causing said plane surface to move on the same arc as said divider abutments,

6. Sorting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lifter comprises a horizontal bar and means hinging said bar for translatory motion on the pivot arc of said dividers.

7. Sorting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein :said lifter comprises a horizontal bar with an upper plane surface supported at each of two points by a lifter arm with a pivot at its lower end and having at its upper end upper and lower pins, said bar having a vertical slot receiving the upper pin to supply lengthwise stability for the 'bar, and said bar having a downwardly facing, inclined cam surface slidingly engaged by the lower pin, whereby said upper plane surface is swung on an arc greater in radius than the distance 'between the pivot and upper pin of each lifter arm.

8. Sorting apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the arc of said lifter bar upper plane surface is equal to the are on which the divider abutments swing.

9. Sorting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each divider comprises a block at its upper end with a horizontal under surface and an upstanding surface forming a leading edge, said lifter being shaped to engage said block at said leading edge.

10. Sorting apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said lifter comprises a bar with a horizontal plane surface extending to a square end, said carriage precisely positioning the under surface of a block above the square end of the bar with the leading edge of the block above the plane surface of the bar.

11. Sorting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein adjacent dividers have interengaging cam surfaces holding said dividers substantialy parallel as they are swung from inclined to raised position.

12. Sorting apparatus according to claim 11 wherein each adjacent pair of dividers comprises a pair of intergaging blocks, each block having a plane surface and an opposite camsur-face having at its upper end a face upwardly flared in a plane normal to the pivot axis of the divider whereby the plane surface of the adjacent block is cammed away from the flared face thereby to maintain substantially the same spacing at the top and bottom of the dividers as they are swung upwardly by the lifter.

13. Sorting apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said lifter has an upper plane surface for engaging said abutments and is movably supported by cammeans causing said plane surface to move on the same arc as said divider abutments.

14. Sorting apparatus for receiving classified articles comprising:

a carriage,

a series of inclined dividers having a pivot on the carriage to form a plurality of pockets, each pair of dividers comprising a pair of interengaging blocks having an under surface and upstanding plane and cam surfaces, the cam surface having at its upper end a face flared in a plane normal to the pivot axis of the dividers, said pair of dividers being adapted to be swung upwardly and said plane surface of one divider being cammed away from the flared face of the other divider of the pair as the pair is swung upwardly,

an elongate lifter comprising a horizontal bar having an upper plane surface with a square end adapted to engage the under surfaces of said divider blocks, said bar being supported at each of two points by a lifter arm with a pivot at its lower end and having at its upper end upper and lower pins, said bar having for each arm a vertical slot receiving the upper pin to supply lengthwise stability to the bar, and said bar having for each arm a downwardly facing inclined cam surface slidingly engaged by the lower pin, whereby the upper plane surface of the bar is swung on the same radius as the under surfaces of the divider blocks,

means for moving the carriage to 'bring a selected group of said block under surfaces above the plane surface of the lifter bar,

and means to swing the lifter bar on said arms thereby to swing a selected group of dividers upwardly away from the remaining dividers to a raised position thereby opening a pocket between the raised and remaining dividers.

15. Sorting apparatus for receiving classified articles comprising a movable carriage, a series of pocket forming means on said carriage, motor means for moving the carriage to present a selected pocket at an operators position, an indexing selector for choosing one of the pockets, a start switch, a control circuit connected to and responsive to said selector and start switch including relay means causing said opening means to move from a pocket opening position to a retracted position, switch means operated by movement of said opening means to retracted position, said switch means causing the motor means to move the selected pocket to the operators position, and said control circuit including switching means movable by said carriage motor means relative to said indexing selector and operable by the selector to stop said motor means and cause said opening means to open the selected pocket when the carriage reaches selected position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,321,229 6/1943 Miller 12916.1 2,999,592 9/1961 Brand 209122 3,139,090 6/1964 Novak 129-l6.1

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

20 R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. SORTING APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING CLASSIFIED ARTICLES COMPRISING A CARRIAGE, A SERIES OF INCLINED DIVIDERS HAVING THEIR LOWER ENDS PIVOTED ON SAID CARRIAGE TO FORM A PLURALITY OF POCKETS, SAID DIVIDERS HAVING DOWNWARDLY FACING ABUTMENTS AT THEIR UPPER ENDS, AN ELONGATE LIFTER ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID ABUTMENTS, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CARRIAGE TO BRING A SELECTED GROUP OF SAID ABUTMENTS OVER SAID LIFTER, AND MEANS TO RAISE SAID LIFTER THEREBY TO SWING SAID SELECTED GROUP OF DIVIDERS UPWARDLY AWAY FROM THE REMAINING DIVIDERS TO A RAISED POSITION THEREBY OPENING A POCKET BETWEEN THE RAISED AND REMAINING POCKETS. 